Flashback Whiplash
by Automail-gHost
Summary: Goliath is poisoned. But instead of it fulfilling its purpose, it does something inexplicable. It turns Goliath into a teenager! With a shrunken body and amnesia to boot, the clan struggles with the task of reining in his newfound rebellious nature and protecting their miniature leader; especially from himself.
1. Chapter 1

**IT LIVES!**

**Now, you're probably wondering, "Why is she posting a new story when she should be updating her old ones?"**

**The reason is very simple. **

**I'm in a Gargoyle mood and the Plot Bunnies are demanding I write something about my favorite winged heroes! XD**

**Anyway, this being my first Gargoyles FanFic, please, be nice and give no flames. I love constructive criticism however, and reviews are what fuel my inspirational fire so to speak. ;3**

**During this Fan Fiction, I will strive to give this amazing show justice in my writing and make it enjoyable to read while I'm at it. C;**

_**Spoilers!**_** Anything up to the Avalon Arc I suppose. It's really up to you where you want it to be, however, it is definitely after "Enter Macbeth" since they are living in the clock tower. X3**

**Warnings: Besides my torture of characters? Well, sinister plotting abounds and there is alcohol consumption in this chapter. Besides that, nope, no big warnings here. I don't cuss after all so you don't ever have to worry about that from me. ;D**

_**Disclaimer!**_** If I owned Gargoyles, there would be more than 3 seasons, it would have more suspense, no Avalon, more angst, and the characters wouldn't bounce back as quickly as they do. So, since these things have yet to come to pass, I'm gonna say no; I DON'T own Gargoyles. I am making no profit from this fic and am only writing this for entertainment purposes. C;**

**Also, please keep in mind that this is the prologue! So it's the introduction for my story. Please don't give up on it just because there isn't a lot of action in this chapter. :)**

**So, to sum up this Author's Note, if you read, please review! Whether you liked it or not, your quick input will not only mean a tremendous amount to me, but it will also help me write better stories for you!**

**Without further ado, I give you...**

_**Flashback Whiplash!**_** The prologue anyway... XD**

**Enjoy~! :D**

* * *

Endless rain splashed and splattered against all in its path, drenching its victims in soaking misery. Lazy dark clouds began to pull at nearby masses of grey and before long, a colossal, dense, rain cloud cast a murky shadow down upon the bustling city of New York.  
The new gloom to the atmosphere did nothing but dampen the spirits of those who trudged through thick rain; trying their best to ignore the wind and water droplets pelting them from all sides.

Some had umbrellas, others had heavy coats, and yet still, some had no protection at all and were just making a crazed dash to shelter.  
The one thing all these people had in common was the splash of their feet as they slogged purposefully through the deep water forming at their ankles.

They also shared the relaxing bliss of having only their own problems to contend with, no monsters, no conspiracies, or corrupt business men; only the next tax payment struck fear into the hearts of these people.

...

Elsewhere, a lean figure sat rigid in the chair beneath him, gazing transfixed at the large monitors before his eyes. There was no background noise here; no furious yells or screeching horns, just silence. It's not surprising, considering how far away it was from the populated parts of the extensive city. The vast distance between this abandoned facility and the general populace did not bother the lanky man, who was staring transfixed at the bright screens, checking the results for the fourth time.

Normally, he would revel in the silence; basking in the peace of solitude and allowing himself to be cocooned in its sweet embrace.

But there was no time for that now; more important things were dominating his distractible mind.

He had done it.

He had actually done it!

Faced with an impossible task he had sworn up and down the walls that he would never accomplish, and yet here he was.

He didn't know how many times he read the list of data, trying to convince his head to acknowledge what it was seeing. That skeptical part of his brain was still shouting out against it, insistently adamant that it couldn't be true; but that little voice of fury was quashed when his brain finally caught up with his eyes and trampled his deviant thoughts into oblivion.  
After all, the evidence and proof was right in front of his nose.

Excitement began bubbling deep in his stomach; shooting energy to all his limbs and inciting a toothy grin to split his face. He couldn't help his exclamation of joy that followed.

"What's all the fuss about Marcus?"

Marcus quickly spun his chair around to face the newcomer in the doorway.

"Mr. Leon, Sir. I...I did it! I really did it! It's perfect!"

Leon's look of shock rapidly melted into a sinister smirk.

"Very good. Begin creating the formula and have it ready for me by tomorrow."

Marcus scrubbed a weary hand over his face before answering. "_One_ day?! It can't be done! Creating an adequate amount for a dose will take time."

He had barely finished his sentence before his boss's face was inches away from his own.

"Time is something we do _not_ have. You have a day Marcus; make it happen." His voice had dropped menacingly at the end, insinuating the punishment for failure would most likely be dire.  
Leon let his words and warning sit for a few moments, allowing them time to soak down into his underling's core before striding away with a conceited swagger that leaked heavily into the air around him.

After the door slammed shut, Marcus allowed himself to breathe again. He stared at the floor for a long moment before shaking his head sharply. He couldn't let himself drown in self pity in the face of this absurd demand, he had to remain calm and collected; he would do himself no favors in a melted-down puddle of panic. It took him a few deep breaths but in the end, he resigned himself to his fate.

There would be no sleep for Marcus Conrad that night.

3 hours later and two levels above, an imposing man paced back and forth impatiently. His attention snapped up sharply at the opening of the thick wooden door behind him. Annoyance turned into anticipation instantaneously as his searching eyes fell upon and locked firmly on the well dressed figure before him.

"Well? I came as soon as I could. You said you had news?"

The look on his face could best be described as hungry. A desperate longing was etched into this man's features; a thirst that had gone on too long without being quenched. This was all outlined by a touch of fear, a foreboding that his hopes had been raised once again in vain.

Leon only grinned in response.

"News indeed. _It_ has been completed. It is perfected and will be combat ready by tomorrow."

"Excellent!" The man exclaimed loudly. "Will the SS be ready by then?"

Leon cocked his head to one side at the question, the corners of his mouth quirking up slightly as he did so.

"No offence, but my Suicide Squad have been ready for the last few months. They'll be halfway there before we even finish giving the order."

"I see. Well, at least their dedicated."

Leon's smirk slipped into a frown in an instant. "They would have to be considering the _beasts _they'll be fighting." He snarled with distain.

The man shook his head knowingly. "Too true!" A distant look came into his sapphire eyes, his gaze drifting to the space just above Leon's shoulder.

"Just think, in one day we will come significantly closer to our city being free again! When we take out their leader, they'll crumble to pieces at our feet!"

The glassy quality fled his eyes as he snapped out of his reverie. Overwhelmed with euphoria and completely absorbed in his visions of the future, he cared not for propriety. He burst suddenly into booming laughter, its maniacal tones sending chills down the spines of the few underlings who happened to be passing by.

Leon took this opportunity to saunter over to a small cabinet off to the side of the office. Out from its storage, he pulled an unopened bottle of very expensive wine. After producing two fragile glasses, he reappeared at the man's side before he even realized he was gone.

In anticipation of him saying anything about the sudden change, Leon smoothly picked back up the conversation.

"An occasion such as this needs to be celebrated with wine of equal value." He paused to pour the scarlet liquid in equal amounts into both glasses. After offering one to his guest, he took the other and raised it to chest height, inviting a toast.  
"To the downfall of this city's scourge, our continued business together, and to you Baron; for without you, none of this would have been possible."

The Baron chuckled deeply before raising his own glass. "I couldn't agree more."

They both brought their glasses to just below their nose, inhaling deeply and taking a moment to enjoying the sweet aroma of the fine drink.

It tasted as good as it looked; while the Baron was absorbed in savoring the lovely bouquet, Leon's stare at the simple rim of his glass deepened, his eyebrows furrowing together slightly.

"He's strong."

The Baron eyes glanced at him for a few moments before making a sound of confusion.

"I mean the only problem we face is that our target is the strongest among them. It's going to be hard to get an accurate hit while he's moving."

He took a moment to respond to his business partner; letting the red fluid swish across his tongue once more before swallowing. After casually letting out a sigh of approval, Baron's calm demeanor changed; he met Leon's eyes with an evil glint reflecting in his own and a wicked smile curling his lips.

"Not to worry, I have a fool-proof plan for that very issue. By this time tomorrow night, the demon incarnate Goliath, will be dead."

* * *

**Sooooo? Interested? If you liked that, then you'll **_**really**_** love the next chapter! That's where all the action begins~! X3**

**Again, please review! I would like to know what you thought and if you have any ideas on how I can improve it. ;D  
Also, the more reviews I get, the faster I'll post more! I already have the next chapter almost finished but the amount of reviews I get will decide how fast I publish it. XDD**

**P.S. I may be good at seeing mistakes in others work, I stink at picking them out in my own! Weird, huh? So please, if you see something I missed, feel free to let me know! I would be so grateful. CX**

**Thanks for reading!**

**-Automail-gHost C:**


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm baaaaaaack~! I only have one review so far but it's awesome! So thank you so much FairySleep-Kiara! XD**

_**Warnings!**_** Well, minor alcohol reference and some guys who **_**think**_** they are drunk.**

**Alrighty then! Before you go on, this chapter is about 9 pages long on Microsoft Word, so please give it a chance before you judge. It gets REALLY suspenseful at the end! ;3**

**I hope you enjoy!**

**Read on beloved readers! T^T**

* * *

_~The Next Day~_

Over the city that never sleeps, the sky began to bleed hues of red and orange as the sun slowly started to slip below the horizon. Tendrils of color stretched out from the setting star, desperately trying to maintain its grip on the darkening sky. As more and more lights started to shine as night fell, Manhattan cast a white glow of its own upon the heavens.

Far above the boisterous people, through the misty haze of moisture and sound, a giant, four-faced clock tower stood dormant on top of a police department. Perched at a height too great to be seen clearly from below, six stone statues encircled one of the clock's faces.  
An average citizen could take one look at the monstrous carvings and feel fear squirm in their guts. Although some may see the beauty of such fine and detailed craftsmanship, most would simply find their presence too intimidating and would proceed to scamper as far away as possible.

That fear is not misplaced.

With wings extended majestically behind them, claws outstretched, eyes glaring, and fangs bared in eternal snarls, these creatures seemed too real to be just stone. It was almost as though they had just jumped out of a myth from long ago of demons and monsters.  
One stood out from the others though; it was a strange beast for unlike the others, this one had no wings. Its weight was balanced on three legs while one paw -if you could call it that- was raised threateningly. It too had its mouth wide open; frozen forever in a feral roar.

It was then, with the final slivers of light diminishing behind the numerous sky-scrapers that something odd happened. The shadows crept greedily in the wake of the sun, wasting no time in casting its dark embrace over the stone gargoyles. The moment the gargoyles were completely swathed in black a single fissure ripped across the chest of the biggest of the statues. From that, multiple spider-web fractures spread, sharp cracks ringing in the air. Within maybe a second, the gargoyle was riddled with cracks and stone muscles flexed.

Pieces began to crumble, revealing more and more violet flesh until the stone encasing his eyes shattered and white eyes opened. His eyes glowed with power while his wings and arms stretched up to the sky. All around him, his clan revived and shed their stone sleep, and the night was filled with a cacophony of waking monstrous roars. While the wind may snatch the sound away before it reaches the streets below, the inner chambers of the empty clock tower echoed and rattled at the awakening noise.

White glow faded into black and Goliath's tense muscles relaxed; arms falling to his sides and wings resting near his back. Wasting no time after waking up, Lexington leaped on top of Broadway from his perch, leathery bat-wings draping over the larger aqua gargoyle's eyes playfully.

Goliath smiled fondly at the two's antics; his good mood was short lived however, when he caught a glimpse of red slipping by out of the corner of his eye.

Turning sharply, he caught Brooklyn with his glare.

"Brooklyn."

Said gargoyle, froze like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Just by the warning tone in his voice, the teenager _knew _he was in trouble. He groaned inwardly before staring back over his shoulder at his looming leader, frustration and rebellion already growing in the back of his eyes.

"Yes?"

His attempt at innocence failed miserably.

Goliath's gaze hardened and Brooklyn couldn't help but feel like he was being crushed, made as big as a bug, and nonverbally interrogated all at the same time. He exploded indignantly in response to the unasked accusations, his sudden outburst drawing the attention of his nearby rookery brothers.

"Come on Goliath! It wasn't that bad!"

The lavender gargoyle's frown deepened, his voice dropping dangerously when he replied.

"It wasn't that bad? You could have been seen! No, you were seen! You put our entire clan in danger! How can that not be bad?!"

Brooklyn's hackles rose at that. He raised himself to his full height; countering angrily, a resentful note entering his tone.

"I did not put the clan in danger! It was just a bit of fun! Harmless fun!"

Goliath's eyes flashed white.

"Harmless?! It was irresponsible! Your reckless actions put our lives at risk! Your inability to see the consequences has blinded you to the danger you put yourself in!

It was Brooklyn's eyes who flashed this time.

"You think I can't protect myself? I can handle myself _JUST_ fine in case you hadn't noticed!"

"You call almost getting yourself killed 'Just fine'?!"

The red gargoyle clenched his hands into fists at his sides; visibly trembling with suppressed anger, he continued on obstinately.

"Lighten up! It was a just game! I'm not a hatchling anymore; I can take care of myself!"

His disrespectful tone did not go unnoticed.

"No, you cannot! You will not be going back there, you will not go anywhere near that machine again, and that's final!"

"But-"

Goliath raised himself to his full height; towering over his young charge and with gigantic wings taut behind him he bellowed in a tone that was not to be rebelled against.

"I am not going to argue the matter further!" Goliath quickly drew his wings into a cape around himself before striding purposefully past the now practically steaming young gargoyle.

The "conversation" was concluded and Brooklyn knew it. As soon as he was sure the violet gargoyle was out of earshot, he let out an exasperated growl; sinking his talons deep into the nearest stone.

He paused in his assault on the wall when he felt a presence behind him. He didn't even have to turn around to know it was Hudson; he had a too powerful bearing not to be noticed and recognized.

"Ye can tell me what is ailing ye if ye wish my lad." When his thick Scottish accent fell upon him, Brooklyn found himself spilling all his frustrations out onto the waiting gargoyle before him.

"What is with him?! He completely over-reacted! He's always treating me like a hatchling, but if I try to have any fun, he calls me immature! Goliath's just so... Augh!"

He sighed heavily before running talons through his ivory mane.

"I mean really, would it kill him to lighten up? To _let go_? Have _fun_? He's way too serious and strict. He was probably born like that." Brooklyn folded his arms across his chest before glaring at the ground, brooding on the unfairness of his predicament.

Hudson listened silently to the whole rant, keeping his face impassive; when the ruby gargoyle finally finished speaking though, an understanding smile split his face.

"That would'na be true. I remember when Goliath was yer age; ye two were'na so different."

The look Brooklyn threw him was nothing short of flabbergasted. Hudson chuckled at the jaw dropping response he received.

"Aye, it be true. In fact, he might'a been worse!" His one good eye glazed over as he was lost in a distant memory; a memory of castles, kings, and happier times.

"He was always getting' inta a wee bit a trouble." The scot drawled; his sarcasm obvious as he put heavy emphasis his description, making it clear it definitely _wasn't_ a small amount of mischief a young Goliath got himself into. "Disregarding all warnings, adventuring evra'where we told him no ta' go, and over all being that unruly, ye ken?"

Light laughter fell from his lips as nostalgia washed over him.

"Goliath matured as ye can imagine, all too quickly. At an early age, he hardened his heart in response ta' the pain of this world. After wha' happened at castle Wyvern; Weel, he became more cautious to be sure. So ye see lad, he reacted like that because of the worry for ye not because he dinna want ye ta' have fun."

Brooklyn, who had been listening to Hudson with wide-eyed disbelief suddenly came back to Earth and was struck by what he had said.

"Worried about me? I thought he was just mad because, 'I was too reckless' or that 'I put the safety of our clan at risk'."

Hudson shook his head good naturedly.

"I'm sure that had somethin' ta' do about it, but what really rattled him, was goin' out ta' try ta' find ye and seeing ye being drug along behind that contraption!" His laughter caught the young gargoyle by surprise.

"By the look on his face I was _certain_ he was gonna have a heart attack right then and there and just drop outta the sky!"

At that, Brooklyn was laughing as well; clutching his sides as he tried to picture the look on the face of a shocked/upset Goliath. The outcome was quite humorous.

Brief light moment over; Hudson laid a reassuring hand on Brooklyn's shoulder causing him to meet his gaze.

"Being a leader is no so easy as ye might think. Ye dinna only have the fate of yer entire clan riding on yer shoulders, but ye are also responsible fer makin' decisions. Ye must make difficult choices in order ta' protect yer charges, even if ye ha' ta' bare their hatred of ye fer doing it."

Like a light had been switched on, realization struck the young gargoyle. When he finally looked back up, he was met with an expectant gaze.

"I... I never thought of it like that..."

"Aye, that ye didn't. Just keep it in mind lad, an' be patient with him. He's trying just as hard as ye."

With that, the aged warrior strode sway, leaving a very conflicted Brooklyn alone with his thoughts.

* * *

Meanwhile, an outwardly regal looking gargoyle was fuming on the inside; he was secluded deep in their new library, venting his anger onto poor unsuspecting pages of the book he had attempted to distract himself with. Not that he would ever harm a book; no, he was just being a little overly rough when turning the worn pages. His glare burned right through the words he had given up trying to read a while ago.

Goliath's thoughts were circulating around one being:

Brooklyn.

He was mad. No, furious! His normally calm and refined nature shriveled under the fiery storm that raged through his mind.

It was very apparent that he was upset.

By the rigid jerks of his tail, his hard gaze, talons flipping through pages obviously too fast to actually be reading their contents, and his overall aura made one thing abundantly clear: being near him at that time would most likely be a hazard to your health.

A almost snarl rumbled deep in his throat.

His anger was directed half at the teenage gargoyle's reckless and disrespectful behavior and half at himself for not handling that situation better.

He drew one clawed hand across his eyes, letting out a deep exhale of emotions as he did so. Goliath leaned back on his stool; tail wrapping nimbly around its legs to keep it steady. His deep onyx eyes stared ahead, looking through the stone wall as he let his thoughts drift back to the previous night.

* * *

_It had been getting late._

He had paced back and forth; too anxious to stand still and too worried to let it go. His old mentor had tried to dissuade his growing fear of the worst happening to the oldest of his charges.

"I'm sure he's fine Goliath, you need'na worry so. He's probably oan his way home as we speak." He placed a hand over his leader's shoulder reassuringly.

It didn't work.

With a growl he slipped out of his friend's grasp.

"No, he should have been back by now. He's been gone all night and the sun is nearly up!" His voice had carried an undertone of trepidation, giving away his inner turmoil.

"I'm going after him."

A deep, resigned sigh left the old warrior. By just the look of determination in his gaze, Hudson knew he would not be able to pacify Goliath's paranoia that night.

"Then I shall go with ye lad. As the humans say, two heads are better'n one."

The larger gargoyle threw an appreciative smile his way before leaping from the railing. He did not have to fall far for a large current of wind to hook under his massive wings and slingshot him into the air.

He gained altitude quickly, the strong winds favoring them; it brought the two beings higher and higher until they were a good distance above even the tallest skyscrapers. Goliath let his eyes roam; his enhanced night vision allowing him to scan any and all nooks and crannies that his wayward charge might be hiding in.

The only thing he had to go on was the vague descriptions of where the duo of the trio had last seen Brooklyn. They had regretfully admitted that they had been too distracted by the wonders of the city to take note of what had caused the red gargoyle to veer away from them on their way home.

So he had nothing.

Worry clawed at his insides once more, driving his wings to pump faster sending him rocketing across the sky. He had searched for a while, and with the sun rising in little under an hour he was beginning to consider returning home when something caught his eye.

Lights. But not the normal lights of the city; these were...Festive somehow. They bounced and frolicked about, shining so bright the buildings surrounding it paled in comparison.

Goliath's eyes widened.

There, beneath him, was a New York style carnival.

His head began jerking back and forth; trying to absorb the vast amount of _movement_ below. There were so many humans it looked as though the ground itself was moving.

"What the devil is thes?!"

And that announced the arrival of Hudson.

The old warrior looked stunned. His one eye overwhelmed by the task of trying to process the mass amounts of color swimming beneath him.

"How can the humans make so much noise?! Aye, this is why I avoid leaving the clock tower; if I stay out here too long I'm gonna lose my ears as well!"

Goliath threw a sympathetic smile his way; although it was a valiant attempt, in the end it came off as more of a grimace then a look of understanding.

His concentration only flitted to his companion for a moment before his entire focus became engrossed in his search once again.

The two warriors were hovering above the carnival for barely a minute when the number of humans began to diminish abruptly. The reason for such a mass reduction was the lateness of the hour; a reason once riddled out reminded Goliath of the fast approaching sunrise.

He doubled his efforts with renewed vigor; desperately trying to make out a familiar crimson figure among the numerous machines. He was just about to abandon his pursuit in the obnoxious amusement park when something caught his attention.

It was one of the larger human contraptions; it twisted and turned and overlapped itself in places. If Goliath didn't know better, he would have thought it was a giant, metal, snake.

He was intrigued by the strange device before him; he was only curious for a second however, before an old memory was sparked and flooded the forefront of his mind.

Roller Coasters; that's what Lexington had called them as he'd eagerly explained the strange machines to a very baffled Goliath.

Apparently, their sole purpose was to terrify and thrill humans. Unlike Gargoyles, humans didn't take to heights naturally; it was that fear of not being in control that usually resulted in a panic that some humans -strangely enough- enjoyed.

During his contemplation of the strange ride he noticed something was off. As the small cart toted the humans within up and down the tracks, a dark shadow trailed along directly behind. Goliath's eyes squinted for a moment in an attempt to discern the peculiar shape in the thick darkness.

He recognized the figure all too soon.

With talons dug deep into the rear of the cart, wings outstretched, unmistakable white hair flying wildly in the wind, and enthusiastic cries blending in with those of the humans, Brooklyn was happily hitchhiking a ride on the rollercoaster.

The look on Goliath's face could only be described as horrified.

His jaw fell slack as his mind desperately tried to compute the shocking scene before him. The look he was baring was really quite humorous; Hudson himself had to stifle his sudden urge to guffaw loudly at his friend's face. He was able to regain his composure fast enough that Goliath was none the wiser; and it would remain so under pain of death.

He hovered unmoving for a few more moments, frozen in his surprise like he had turned to stone right there in the middle of the sky.

Within those seconds, the cart zoomed by several times, it was when it came to the final stretch that Brooklyn unhooked his talons from the slowing ride.

He continued to grin idiotically, eyes bright from adrenalin and hair severely wind-blown.

Far down below, two men laughed loudly, beers swinging loosely in their fingers as they entertained themselves with cliché humor. As the rollercoaster roared overhead, they both gazed upward lazily.

What they saw made them go rigid.

Slowly, their gazes lowered until one pair of freaked out eyes met another.

"Did you see that?!"

In response, the taller of the two, with his rugged brown hair obscuring his vision slightly, wordlessly took the half filled bottle out of the other's all but limp hand and tossed it into the nearest trash along with his own.

He glanced back over his shoulder at his companion before responding.

"No, and neither did you." The shorter man nodded his head numbly in silent agreement.

Back in the air, Brooklyn suddenly realized how much time had gotten away from him. He quickly spun himself around and was just about to propel himself homeward when he saw his company.

At this point, Goliath had gotten over his disbelief; oh yes, he was quite over it. His eyes burned with all the fury he could muster and his entire form was tense with anger. The noticing of his young charge's audience only added fuel to the fire.

Brooklyn saw Goliath, and his stomach plummeted. He was struck by the strong desire to spontaneously become a turtle and hide in his shell. For the look the lavender gargoyle was wearing would make even hardened criminals cry for their mommies.

He _knew_ he was in trouble. He had known at the back of his mind that doing it wasn't smart, but he just hadn't been able to resist investigating the incredible machine.

He slowly glided towards his fuming leader, careful not to take too long, and at the same time, trying his best to prolong the inevitable.

When he finally came to a halt, he was hovering between being guilty, and being upset that Goliath was even mad to begin with.

While those two emotions waged war for dominance in his head, he held a kind of chagrin look cross his features. Before Brooklyn could even finish opening his mouth, Goliath's loud voice overruled any and all attempts at making excuses.

"Home._Now_."

And without another word, he twisted nimbly and glided away. Hudson, having stayed silent through the entire exchange, followed right after, his eyes flitting between the two as they actively ignored each other.

Within a few minutes, they arrived at their home. As they landed, dawn's first light began to snake its way across the city.  
Brief words were shared between the trio before hopping onto their posts, resigning themselves to having to wait to learn of this thing called a "rollercoaster". Just as Brooklyn stepped upon his ledge, Goliath caught his gaze.

"We _will_ be discussing what happened tonight." He said harshly and in a no-nonsense tone.

His wings stretched out behind him and as he positioned himself to look menacing, he muttered a noncommittal 'Fine' under his breath.

It was then that the sun caught them; stone began creeping along their bodies, solidifying their skin as they turned from flesh and bone to lifeless statues.

* * *

Goliath groaned loudly; stretching his arms, wings and tail as he did so. Curious as to why he felt so stiff he casually glanced up to the clock high up on the wall.

He had been zoned out for over two hours; no wonder he was stiff.

He was just about to sit back on his stool and actually _read_ the book in his hands when a rebellious little thought crossed his mind against his will.

_You were too hard on him. True, he needs to learn to think before he leaps but that doesn't mean you have to shut him down completely!_

**I needed to nip this in the bud. If he thinks clinging to that...that **_**thing**_** is a good idea, he might not survive the next time!**

_He needs __**gentle **__guidance! He'll just shut you out if you keep this up. You need to compromise with him._

**Compromise? I can't do that! If I meet him halfway he'll still get himself into trouble.**

_You need to trust him more; you need to let go, you can't protect him forever._

Goliath shook his head vigorously. He must be more tired than he thought if he was having in depth arguments with himself. He did admit however, his little voice had a point; maybe he was being too protective.

Grumbling to himself about 'stupid voices of reason', he hopped off his seat and resigned himself to trying to talk to Brooklyn.

The wood creaked annoyingly with every step on his way to their "living room" as the old oak floors strained under his massive frame. His wings were wrapped like a cape around his shoulders, making him look very regal despite his slightly abated but still present foul mood.

Upon reaching his destination, he didn't have to look far in order to find his wayward charge. He was sitting on the railing in front of the clocks face, his white mane flying everywhere as he was buffeted by the strong winds.

Goliath paused; taking a moment to glance over to where his old mentor was watching T.V, asking a wordless question through his gaze. Hudson threw an encouraging smile his way.

Reassuring himself that this would not blow up in his face, he made a bee-line towards the steps leading to the balcony.

He had just reached the top of the staircase when the entire tower shook violently. Out of instinct, Goliath's arms and wings shot out in an attempt to keep him balanced. Only he and Hudson (who had been sitting in a chair) had fared well. Brooklyn, Broadway, and Lexington however, not so much.

Lexington had face planted the hard floor; Broadway fell on his back along with the pan he was holding and its hot contents. Brooklyn, well, he kind of fell on his head.

Having been sitting on the railing, his arms had flailed wildly before he had tumbled over backwards.

"Wha' in blazes?! Is it an earthquake?!"

Hudson's exclamation pretty much covered what they were all thinking. Goliath quickly checked that all this clan were unharmed; once he was positive none of them were hurt, he dashed to the balcony, not even bothering to wrap his wings around himself again.

He skidded to a stop just before slamming into the railing; he clasped the concrete barrier with both hands as he began trying to discern what had caused such tremors.

He didn't have to look far and it was definitely no earthquake.

In the downtown section of Manhattan, a giant plume of smoke lingered in the air. It had to have been an explosion; a large one at that for them to feel it so strongly. He wasted no time in calling his family out so they too could see the damage.

"We must go investigate. There might be humans who need our help." No one argued with Goliath's decision. They also agreed that they should all go, as they might end up needing help themselves.

And with that, they took off into the night, each leaping off the edge one after the other.

* * *

Within minutes they arrived at the decimated blast site; choking on the black smoke that hung in the air. Lexington was just about to explain what kind of bomb he believed it was when he heard the shot of a weapon.

"We have company!"

And that was the only warning they got before the enemy descended upon them.

At first Goliath thought they were robots, but when he saw pale flesh and the engines they wore on their backs he knew they were human. They shot lasers everywhere, not discriminating between building and gargoyle alike.

They weren't doing so well against these new foes.

Unlike the Steel Clan, these assailants weren't machines and therefore couldn't be tricked as easily, and with lethal fire raining down upon them, it was all they could do just trying to dodge. There were five in total, one for each gargoyle; and as Goliath glided around his an opponent, he vaguely noticed they had two letters imprinted on their uniforms.

_S.S._

He filed that knowledge away for later use when he wasn't being attacked.

He and his adversary were locked in a deadly dance, circling each other and striking whenever the opportunity knocked. After what felt like forever, Goliath finally landed a successful blow; incapacitating the gadget that was keeping him airborne and destroying his gun. He had just enough power to lower himself to the ground, but that opponent was defiantly out of this fight.

There was no time to celebrate for just as one bandit was defeated, three more took his place. He readied himself for round two, hovering close by where he dropped his last enemy. However, nothing happened. These new attackers converged on the rest of the clan, completely ignoring him. Before he had the chance to figure out why, he realized they were singling Brooklyn out.

He was just about to go to his aid when he saw one of the mercenaries drawback, pulling out of the red gargoyle's sight.

His blood ran cold.

A gun, one unlike anything Goliath had ever seen was pointed directly at Brooklyn, and he was oblivious to it.

In that moment, everything seemed to slow down.

He propelled himself at them, flying faster and pushing his muscles harder than he ever had before. He was almost there when the unmistakable _bang_ echoed in the night.

Brooklyn had seen Goliath charging towards him and only too late he noticed the weapon pointed right at him. At the sound the red gargoyle flinched, waiting for pain that never came. He felt arms around him, when he opened his eyes he saw Goliath dragging him away from the mass of the battle.

With eyes wider than dinner plates his gaze began scouring his leader's form, looking for any signs of injury. Something small caught his gaze. It was a dart, as large as one of his fingers protruding from Goliath's violet skin.

"Your shoulder!"

He glanced down at Brooklyn and then his shoulder before responding.

"It's nothing. Are you alright?"

He spluttered in disbelief. "Are you kidding me?! You're the one who just took a shot for me! And put me down, I can fly on my own."

Goliath reluctantly let him go, allowing the wind to once again catch his wings. Before Brooklyn could thank him properly however, the attacking assailants demanded attention.

Once he was engaged in battle again and Goliath was sure he was no longer in any immediate danger, he looked down at the dark imbedded in his shoulder. He carefully pulled it out, afterward flexing the muscles in that arm for good measure.

A smirk played off his lips.

He remembered the last time he had been hit with one of these; the effect had been almost instantiations. So, since he was still not feeling anything odd, they must have underestimated gargoyles.

Once again he was strangely left out of the fight; wanting to rectify that, he angled himself towards the battle. Just as he was about to move, colors began to swim across his vision. He shook his head, hoping to clear his sight up some but to no avail. Black spots started flashing in front of his eyes as a splitting headache tore at his skull.

He was hanging stationary in the sky, his hands clasping his head as the pain began to grow.

_Ba-bump_

He gasped. With a beat of his heart, white hot fire burned through his veins. His ears rang, muting the world around him. Through his haze of agony, he vaguely noticed someone was screaming. He wanted so desperately to help whoever that was, but he was struggling just trying to stay air-borne.

Then he realized.

_He_ was the voice he heard.

It felt like his bones were melting. He felt hot tears spring from his eyes but he couldn't bring himself to care. His skin was rippling with heat, lightning pain electrocuted his nerves boiling his blood. He opened his cloudy eyes, deaf to all the terrified and desperate calls of his name. Darkness coiled around him, pulling at his consciousness. The last thing he knew before he sunk into oblivion was one thing:

Falling.

_-To be continued-_

* * *

**...**

**That is the longest chapter I have ever written... HALLELUJAH! XD**

**But yeah...The fight scene? I know...I don't like it either. I'm awful at writing battle scenes! DX  
So I apologize. v.v**

**OK, for those of you who are confused; When Hudson is talking, I spelled it funny on purpose in the attempt to capture his heavy accent. Also, "Ye ken" is Scottish for "you know". X3**

**If any Scots read this (or if you just have knowledge on their accent) and have any suggestions on how I could write it better, please feel free to PM me! I'll make sure to fix it. ;D**

**To all of you who are reading this and actually stuck through the whole chapter, thank you! ;D**

**Please, leave a review... I need to know if this is good enough to continue or if anyone even cares. I honestly felt like I rushed it; if you agree let me know! Via review or PM tell me what you think I could do better! I want to know your thoughts. :3**

**If people review I will update faster! No reviews...Well, if no one reviews I'll just go curl up in reject corner and cry. Seriously... I'll be too depressed to write anything.**

**SO! REVIEW!**

**You can do it!**

**I believe in you!**

**Go on! It's right here!**

**V**


End file.
